The Sweet of Blossom
*''Note. This story is for Erika in my class. I've been meaning to write her story for a while. So Erika, here's your story!'' Prolouge If you were to go on holiday to Northern Ireland, you would probably complain about the weather (rain, rain, rain and very heavy rain) and the only cats you would see will be kittypets or loners. But if you were to go to Seskinore Wood, you might find a blossom filled clearing. You won't find any dens though so you will walk away without looking behind the ferns. Behind the ferns, a small Clan thrived. They were called BlossomClan. BlossomClan aren't like ThunderClan, they don't even know they exist, BlossomClan keep their loner names. They do belive in StarClan but their leaders don't have "star" at the end of their name. Now, let me take you on a guided tour of BlossomClan's camp. In the middle of the clearing there are lots of dens big enough for two cats and a litter of kits. These were where the mates lived. In front of that is a large den for the younger warriors and beside that lies the apprentice's den. Behind all the mates' dens is the nursery wher queens and kits under four moons old live. Kits over four moons slept with their parents. The elder's den sat beside the nursery where Pine and Cloud lived. Lastly, there is the medicine cat's den where Bubble tends to her patients. Now your guided tour of BlossomClan is over, let's watch the Clan. Chapter One~Sweet The sun rose over the tall oak trees. Warriors dragged themselves out of their cosy dens to go on dawn patrol. Apprentices shot out of their dens to ask their sleepy mentors what they would learn today. BlossomClan was waking. The deputy, Thorn, was organising everyone. Unfortunately, he is not a very good deputy and is really bad at organising cats. The leader, a pretty young tortoiseshell called Clover, was in the nursery, expecting Oak's kits. Actually, now that i think about it, Clover should be having her kits... *a shriek comes from the nursery*... oh yeah. Now. Oak burst into the medicine cat's den. "BUBBLE!!!!!" he yowled. The old medicine cat looked surprised. "Whoa," she mewed, "You almost deafened me. I wouldn't be much use then." "CLOVER IS HAVING HER KITS NOW!!" ''Oak continued his mad yowling. Bubble looked calm and simply told him to get some raspberry leaves. Oak knew where they were. They were easy to find. He had done this before, when his sister, Morning, was kitting. Oak winced at the memory. Morning had died, taking all but one of her kits. A silver and white she-cat survived. Ice was now his apprentice. Oak easily located the raspberry leaves. Soon he was at his mate's side. Already, three tiny white kits were lying beside her belly. Clover shrieked as an even smaller kit arrived. "That's the last one!" announces Bubble, "An adorable little she-cat!" This last kit wasn't white like her littermates, she was ginger with black ears, paws, a patch over one eye and tail. Clover's sister, Wave, came in with her two kits. Dusk was tawny and white and Willow was brown and white. They were three moons old and did everything together. If there is anything closer than sisters, that's what they were. "Wave! Look!" squealed Willow, "They are so sweet!" Wave purred. She went over to Clover who was sniffing her kits and licked her ears. "Well done sister," she meowed, "What are they called?" Oak looked at his kits. They were smaller than Dusk and Willow. Especially the last kit. She was almost as small as a leaf. Clover flicked her tail around her kits as they suckled. The biggest pushed the tiny kit away. She squealed in shock. Oak carefully lifted her back to her littermates. "Maybe," Clover breathed, "Petal and Snow for the first two." Wave nodded. "Dove! Dove!" squeaked Dusk, "That one is Dove!" Oak purred at Dusk's cuteness. "Ok," Clover decided, "Willow, would you like to name the last?" The young kit bounced in excitement. "Yes! Yes!" she trilled, "She's called Sweet!" "Sweet?" Oak looked at his mate for confirmation. Clover nodded. "She is named Sweet. My Sweet." Chapter Two~Sweet Now almost a moon had passed. Sweet and her littermates were restless. Every morning, Petal would wake Clover by saying something like this: "Mama." "Shush." "Mama!" "Give me a second!" "Maaaamaaaa! What's a second?" "Shush!" "MAAAAMAAAA!!!!!!! Loners are attacking the camp! "StarClan save us!" Clover would leap to her feet and poke her head out the nusery. Stifled giggles came from inside. She would run to her kits and lick them thoroughly. Sweet would still be asleep. Her eyes hadn't opened yet. Something poked Sweet. She squeaked. "Hi Sweet!" it was Dusk and Willow. The sisters adored Sweet. The tiny kit scrambled to her feet and opened her eyes wide. Two huge shapes purred at her. Sweet blinked and the she-kits came into focus. "You opened your eyes!" squealed Willow, "They're so blue!" "Come outside!" meowed Dusk, "We'll show you around!" Outside, the Newleaf light blinded Sweet. She blinked and looked around. Two apprentices were training together, a brown and white she-cat and a brown tom. A lot of cats in BlossomClan had white parts of their body. "That's Shine and Mud," mewed Willow. Shine noticed the kits and ran over. She was bouncy and hyper, like Petal in the mornings. Shine sniffed the kits and was about to say hi when her mentor, Stripey (a former kittypet) called her. Grumbling, the she-cat walked away. "''How could you!" A shriek came from outside a big den. It was Clover. Sweet tried to go over to her but Willow held her back. Oak was there also. He looked calm while his mate was distraught. Oak meowed something that the kits couldn't hear. "I don't care!" hissed Clover, her tortoisshell fur bristling, "Go with her then! Leave me with four kits to raise! I'll tell them everything!" Oak looked hurt. "I'll visit the kits," he whispered, "I still love them." Sweet turned away from her arguing parents. Dusk and Willow pressed against her and they walked towards the nursery. Chapter Three~Sweet Four moons had passed. Breeze had moved to the nursery, expecting Oak's kits. Clover had told her kits all about what had happened. Sweet was sad but she still loved her father. For a few days after their argument, Oak had tried to visit her littermates but they chased him away. He was so upset. Sweet once caught him outside the nursey, about to try again. "I suppose you want to chase me away too, Sweetie." That was his nickname for her. His voice was tinged with sadness as he spoke. "No," Sweet mewed, "I love you but my littermates won't forgive you." "Do you forgive me?" Oak was expecting her to say no. "Yes Father," said Sweet looking up at her father, "Yes I do." Oak looked straight at his kit. She was almost five moons old but was the size of a kit half her age. Clover had insisted that her kits stayed in the nursery untill they could be apprenticed. Dusk and Willow were apprentices and very popular ones too. Already, they had toms hanging around them, particularly a mottled grey cat named Web. Willow insisted that she hated him but Dusk looked all dreamy when his name was mentioned. Sweet desperately wanted to move in with her friends but she had to wait another moon. Oak flicked his tail in fairwell and walked to the warriors den where he greeted his brother, Rock. "Hey Sweet!" meowed Willow, running over with an annoyed Dusk behind her. She dropped her voice to a whisper, "I had to drag her away from Web." Sweet stifled a snort of laughter. The friends padded to a shady spot under a tree and talked about being an apprentice. "A young Sweet will rise, a spirit will fall. A Sadness is Blossom's prize. A new Hope rules all." A distorted, whispery voice rised over the talk of the she-cats.' "What?" mewed Sweet, confused. "I know!" chattered Dusk, "Why can't elders get their own moss?" Sweet looked around, trying to figure out where that voice came from. "Sweet!" that voice came from the nursery, "Come in now, it's getting dark!" Clover always called Sweet before her littermates and she was sick of it. So, she ignored her mother and continued to chat. "''Sweet!" Again, Clover was ignored. besides, Willow was telling a really cool story about her first hunt. Sweet had to listen. it was good for future experience too. "Sweet!!" Clover's call was panicked now. Sweet turned to see why her mother was so panicy. "Twolegs!!" Oak screeched a warning to his Clan. Chapter four~Sweet Dusk and Willow ran to the aprentice's den. Warriors covered the entrances with ferns. The queens herded their kits to the nursery before Oak covered it with ferns. "Stop moving!" meowed Clover, "I need to count you." The kits formed a line to make it easier for their mothers to count them. "Where's Dove?" asked Petal. "Dove? Do-ove!" called Clover. No kits came running. "Dove!" Sweet poked her head out the entrance. Dove was watching the Twolegs with interest. There were six of them, two elderly ones and three kits. There was another one, older but not an adult. One spotted Dove and ran to her shrieking. Dusk tried to run out but it was too late. The older ones picked her up and cooed at Dove. "Help! Help me!" screamed Dusk, "Clover! Oak! Save me!" Sweet desperately wanted to run to her sister. But she knew the Twolegs would take her too in a heartbeat. No one helped Dove who was wailing desperately, her paws waving in the air. The Twolegs carried her away. "No! Dove! Come back!" shrieked Clover, "Dove!" "Mama!" Dove wailed, "Mama!!" Then Dove started to cry. The Twolegs petted her and soothed her but Dove was unconsolable. Even when she was gone from Sweet's view, her cries could still be heard by all of BlossomClan. Chapter five~Sweet "Dove!" screeched Clover, "Dove!" Dove's cries echoed around the forest. Sweet's remaining littermates were running in circles, panicking. Clover was ripping her mossy bed to pieces. "Sweet, now is your chance. Rescue your sister and gain the repsect you deserve." These voices made more sense but were very faint. Sweet decided to follow them anyway. Silently, she crept away from her greiving mother and littermates and squeezed through a hole in a bush. She could smell the forest. For the first time, Sweet was outside the camp. Sweet's ears were listening for the sounds of cats looking for her. No one had noticed.'' "'Good," she thought. She could scent Dove, faint and full of fear. Sweet followed her sister's trail. Soon, Sweet could hear the cries of "Sweet! Sweetie! Come back!" So BlossomClan knew she was gone. So did half the forest and everything in it. Sweet ignored them. She couldn't lose her sister! Sweet came to a Twoleg path. It reeked of dogs.''Twolegs must walk their dogs here.''There was another scent, faint but it was there. Smoke. And ever fainter, she smell of terrified cats. ''There was a fire. Cats were hurt. They could have died! "Lookie what I found," a growl came from behind her, "A tiny kitten, all alone in the big ''forest." Sweet spun around. A huge black she-cat loomed over her. She smelled of blood and fear. ''Was she in the fire? She doesn't smell like it. "S-s-sorry," stuttered Sweet, "I'm looking for my sister. T-twolegs took her." Sweet tried so hard to look brave but she knew that her tail was quivering and that the she-cat could smell her fear. "The screaming white kitten?" hissed the she-cat. Sweet nodded slowly. "Twolegs took her. No point in trying to find her. Run back to your mama, little kitten. I ain't gonna help you." Sweet backed away, as if she was obeying her. The she-cat turned and Sweet shot off in the opposite direction, along the path. /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Sweet was lost. She couldn't scent Dove. She was in a huge, grey clearing covered in tiny stones. A single monster crouched at the edge of the clearing. It was getting dark. Sweet made her way to a mossy bit at the edge of the clearing, far away from the monster. It was cold and Sweet wished for her mother's warmth. She curled up into a tight ball and slept. Chapter six~Sweet Something poked Sweet awake. She shrieked in shock. A young ginger tom with shocking green eyes stared at her. "Ah!" screamed Sweet, "Who are you?" "Glen," replied the tom, "Guessing you are Sweet. You're just a little thing, bit young ain't ya?" Sweet looked at Glen. He was young too. When he said the word 'thing' it sounded like he said 'ting' instead. He stank of fear. Below that, fire. Sweet ignored this fact. "I'm old enough. Could say the same about you." Glen snorted. "I know why you're here," he meowed, "You're looking for your sister." Does this tom know everything about me? "Yes. She's called Dove." "I know where she is." Sweet looked up. "Really? Where? Is she okay?" Glen shrugged. "Probably. I'll show you where she is. But..." "Uh oh. There's a catch." "You have to come to my den first. Twolegs come here a lot. It's not safe." Sweet stared at him. Did this tom seriously want her to come to his den? He was barely more than a kit. But I am too and I have to find Dove. ''"Fine," she mewed. Glen got up and walked along the path. Reluctantly, Sweet followed. Soon, the two cats came to a huge wall where many stones had fallen off. It was covered in Twoleg scent. Sweet walked on down the path. "Hey!" called Glen, "Where are you going? My den is through here." He was heading twards a big hole where bricks had fallen on the ground. Sweet followed him through the hole. The walls had moss all over and it stank of crow-food. Glen must have been hunting for fresh prey. ''But who taught him? He's too young to be all alone. A small voice at the back of Sweet's head spoke up again. You're too young to be alone too. Stay with Glen. Behind the wall there was nettles, thorns and tall grass. The grass was as tall as Sweet standing on top of Glen (which is about the same height as a fully grown dog. Glen isn't very big either.) Glen seemed to know the rout well. At the end of the small field, there was another wall with a green door. Glen slipped through a hole at the bottom. Sweet had to follow, even though it stank of rats. Her ears were alert for the sound of tiny paws. Glen seemed ok, he was even purring! '' I am in a dark tunnel with a lunatic! Thought Sweet, ''He's purring at rats! At last the tunnel ended and Sweet saw light. But that wasn't all she saw. Chapter seven~Sweet "Glen," mewed a terrified Sweet, "There are Twolegs everywhere." The two kits were in another clearing but this time it had tall Twoleg dens around it. "No there aren't," reassured Glen, "They only come when it's hot." He walked over to a corner, between two dens. His den was there. It was actually quite big. It looked like a whole family had lived there. A bramble roof had small, fresh mint leaves hanging down to keep it smelling nice. Glen couldn't have been the first to live here. Glen's bright green eyes stared at her. "Do you like it?" "No!" Sweet said, sharply, "I want to go home. I want to rescue Dove." Sweet lay down, her head on her paws, "I don't know what to do." Glen walked over and stoked her flank with his tail. It felt reassuring. Glen lead Sweet to his den where Sweet curled up into a tight ball and fell in to dreams. "Fire!! Glen, get up!" Sweet jumped to her feet. She hadn't yowled the warning. It was a cream coloured she-cat, about the same age as Clover. A squirming bundle of black and white fur was clinging to her back while she carried another tortoiseshell kit by her scruff. Sweet looked at the terrified kit beside her. Glen was much smaller now. I'm in Glen's memories! He was in the fire. Sweet sudenly noticed that she was no longer in Glen's cosy den, instead she was in a barn full of grass. Grass that was on fire. A small, silver kit was roused by the cream she-cat's call. She wailed in fear. Glen was beside her in a heartbeat, stroking her flank the same way he had done to Sweet. She calmed down and ran outside. Sweet followed, hoping that Glen was behind her. A sharp squeal startled Sweet. Glen! A burning piece of wood had fallen from the roof, blocking Glen's way out. His squeal turned to a wail of fear as another landed behind him. "Glen!" shrieked Sweet. Another cat said it with her. A brown tabby tom with black paws. He lept into the flames to rescue Glen. Sweet waited. The tom didn't come back. "Glen! Glen!" The dream was fading, fast. Just before it faded into black, a tiny, wailing ginger ball was thrown out of the flames but the tabby tom did not follow. /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ "Sweet!" Sweet opened her eyes. Glen stood above her. "I had a dream...," both cats said at the same time. "You go first," meowed Sweet. Glen nodded. He told a tale of a little white kit in a Twoleg den, playing with a kittypet toy. Twolegs cooed at her and pampered her and she didn't seem to care. "Dove," whispered Sweet, "You saw my sister. Glen mewed, "She seemed happy." Sweet stared at him. He's telling the truth. "Dove's happiness is what matters," she mewed sadly, "That's all I wanted." Glen stared at her. Sweet stared back. "I'm going home," Sweet said firmly, "Coming?" Glen's eyes lit up, "Yes! Yes!" "Come on then!" Sweet laughed, "You'll love it in BlossomClan!" Chapter eight~Glen "No, no, no." Glen sat up, annoyed. His new mentor, Rock, seemed to be determined to scare away every squirrel Glen saw. Glen would rather hunt with Sweet but much to her annoyance, Clover had made her a medicine cat apprentice. She could never be his mate. That's a shame, he thought, I really fancied her. "What did I do this time?" asked Glen. "Your tail made such a noise!" "I didn't hear anything!" Poppy, Willow's mentor, padded over. "Calm down," she meowed, "I'll take Glen to get some moss for Breeze. Bright and Storm must drive her mad!" Breeze was Oak's second mate and she had kitted a moon ago. Her identical tabby kits were Sweet's half-brother and sister. Sweet's littermates did not like the adventurous kits but Sweet spent every spare moment she had with them. Rock grunted his agreement before turning to Glen, "Keep that tail straight!" Glen nodded seriously but as Rock turned around he deliberately bent his tail at a ridiculous angle. Dusk found this extremely funny and couldn't stop laughing. I'm good at making cats laugh. Glen could not get the hang of gathering moss. When his mother was alive, she had taught him to just pile it all on the biggest leaf he could find and drag it back to the den. In BlossomClan, they did it differently. After trying (And failing) to bring moss back for the elders, Glen slumped in a heap in the apprentice's den. He was tired. And very bored. He curled up into a ball and fell asleep. ~/\~/\~ "OW!" screeched Web. "Shut up!" snapped Sweet. "But it hurts!" Web whined. "Wow, really?" Sweet said sarcastically, "I didn't know. Hm, maybe if you shut up I could get it out!" Sweet ignored Web's whimpers and made sure that when she pulled out the thorn, it hurt the stupid tom as much as possible. He screeched again, this time right in Sweet's ear. Bubble came in. She inspected Web's paw, then put something on it that Sweet was probably supposed to know but couldn't be bothered to. "Don't go hunting for a day, okay?" she said to the tom. He nodded and limped out of the medicine cat's den. Bubble turned to Sweet. "You okay?" "Fine!" Sweet snapped. "No you're not," mewed the medicine cat, "I've seen the way you look at Glen, Dusk and Willow. I know that when I send you off to collect herbs you practice battle moves. You want to be a warrior, don't you?" Sweet nodded, staring at the ground. "I'll talk to Clover," said Bubble, "No point in having a grumpy apprentice." Sweet jumped up. "Oh, thank you!" She was going to be a warrior! Chapter nine~Sweet "No," said Clover. "Why Clover?" snapped Sweet. Sweet's mother seemed to be stuck for an excuse, "You-you've been a medicine cat apprentice for too long!" "Half a moon!" Sweet hissed, "You don't want me to be a warrior! No one does! It's just me!" Clover looked shocked, but didn't contradict her daughter. Sweet continued angrily, "Make me a warrior apprentice! I'm a rubbish medicine cat anyway, Bubble will tell you!" Bubble sighed, "Clover, Sweet has been snappy and distracted since she became my apprentice. These are not good qualities for a medicine cat. "Fine!" said Clover, "I'll make you a warrior apprentice then! I'll call the meeting now." Yes! I'm going to be a warrior! "Let all cats who have begun their training gather under the High-Tree for a Clan meeting!" called Clover from a branch of the High-Tree. Soon, all the cats of BlossomClan stood infront of Clover and Sweet, who balanced precariously on a lover branch. Sweet could hear the whispers of confusion when they saw her. "Sweet is to become an ordinary apprentice," Clover announced, " Her mentor shall be Ash." A young grey tom with white patches stepped forward, "I shall teach her everything I know." Clover nodded, then turned to Sweet, "Sweet, are you sure that you want to become a warrior apprentice?" "Yes!" Sweet said enthusiastically. She wanted it more than anything! "Then you are now a warrior apprentice." "Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!" cheered her Clanmates. Sweet jumped down and almost immediately, Glen, Dusk and Willow gathered around her. "You will sleep in our den now!" Dusk mewed happily. "And you'll get to train with us!" meowed Glen. Willow searched for something to say. "And-and umm...You'll share a den with us!" Sweet purred. She would be a warrior now! Chapter ten A young brown tabby tom with glowing green eyes dashed through the Seskinore Wood. He had been running for ages. His tail was tipped with red from the blood oozing out from a cut. A huge gash on his leg caused him to limp. Suddenly he collapsed. "Oi! Sparrowpaw! Get up!" The brown tabby, Sparrowpaw, groaned and opened his eyes. In front of him was a dark ginger tabby she-cat who had a look of genuine concern on her pretty face. "Oh, hey Pondpaw. I'm getting up." "Good," said Pondpaw, "Ivystar wants to see you." Sparrowpaw was up on his feet in no time, wincing at the pain his back leg caused him. "I didn't do anything wrong!" he wailed, "I was looking for a camp when they jumped on me!" He paused to look at Pondpaw, "You believe me, right Pondpaw?" Pondpaw purred. "Sparrowpaw, you're my best friend and the most honest cat I know. Of course I believe you!" Sparrowpaw purred back before limping away. "Well then," he said over his shoulder, "We've got no time to lose. Come along Pondpaw!" Back in BlossomClan... "Bramble," meowed Clover, "You lead the dawn patrol. Do you have anything to report?" "Please don't report anything," whispered Sweet, "Then I can go and train!" Ash looked down at her and purred at his apprentice's enthusiasm. "Actually I do," said a brown and white tom. "Mouse dung!" Sweet hissed. Bramble continued, "We found a young tabby tom snooping around near the camp. He was about as old as an apprentice and he reeked of SeaClan." Category:Fanfiction